President Yoweri Museveni and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have held talks aimed at bolstering trade and development between their two countries.

The two leaders appreciated the very warm bilateral relations existing between the two countries and explored further areas of cooperation especially in areas of trade.

Museveni, who is in New Dehli to attend the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit, told Premier Modi that Uganda produces a lot of milk and processed diary products among other products that could be exported to India, and urged him to encourage more Indian businesses to invest in Uganda.

According to reports bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $728 million in 2010–11, with the balance of trade heavily in India’s favour.  Ugandan exports to India accounted for only $16.7 million of the total trade. Uganda imports almost 30% of its pharmaceuticals from India while India emerged the second largest source of Foreign Direct Investments for Uganda in 2011.

The meeting at Hyderabad House was attended by the Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa, Uganda’s High Commissioner to India Elizabeth Paula Napeyok and Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, Ambassador Mull Katende.

Back to his Oberoi Hotel residence, President Museveni received the Chairman of Amos Dairies Ltd Mr Dewar Pruthi, accompanied by the Group Managing Director Mr Pundit Pruthi and Mr Surinder Chawla, the  Joint Managing Director. The two sides discussed the development of the dairy sector in Uganda and how it could be expanded to target the export market.

Mr Dewar Pruthi further told the President that they have had a very fruitful one-year old investment in Uganda based in Kiruhura district, and that the group also wanted to venture into mineral salts, sorghum and maize production for making silage cattle feeds. He also said the group intends to venture into the production of cow seed crop for export market as well as the usage of cow-dung to produce biogas steam for power generation.

Stories Continues after ad

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has dismissed claims that a Warrant of Arrest has been issued against party president, Jimmy Akena.

This follows a case of trespass at the Uganda House lodged in court against Akena and 14 others by the Milton Obote Foundation in September.

But addressing journalists at a press briefing early today, the UPC party spokesperson, Micheal Osinde Orach, said that top party officials, the litigants and the Buganda Road Magistrate Court presiding magistrate Mary Kisakye resolved that the warrant not be extracted.

According to Mr Osinde, it is the Resident State Attorney who is supposed to pray for issuance of an warrant of arrest which, he said, was not done in this case.

“The Resident State Attorney did not pray for a Warrant of Arrest, the applicant’s lawyer has not produced evidence to the Resident State Attorney,” Osinde noted.

He added: “The warrant will not be extracted because the prayers of the Counsel for the accuser were made in a watching brief. You cannot make prayers in that state.”

The matter was adjourned to December 7, but by press time there were contradicting media reports that the Buganda Road Court had issued a warrant of arrest against Akena, who is the son of UPC founding leader Dr Apollo Milton Obote and the Lira Municipality Member of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the UPC spokesperson has lashed at the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) for ‘the violence in the recently concluded NRM primaries’.

According to Osinde, the NRM should learn that ‘it is not good to have your opponent as an enemy’.

“We (UPC) encourage them to proceed and accept that competition is normal,” Osinde said and ‘advised’ the ruling party to steer away from violence.

“When you use violence, the innocent get hurt,” he said.

In other developments, the party Secretary General Edward Segganyi has called upon government to plan for the predicted El Nino season so as to mitigate risks.

Segganyi noted that it is the responsibility of government and its respective ministries to protect its citizens.

“UPC calls upon all sector ministries to come up with measures and also offer storage facilities to farmers,” he said.

He also advised MPs to thoroughly review the proposed amendments to Public Finance Management Bill before passing it.

“Uganda People’s Congress is very much concerned with this development and calls for a review of this proposed amendments,” he said.

Segganyi also congratulated Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) for winning the just concluded elections, and also congratulated Zambia for attaining 51 years of independence.

“The history of Zambia dates back from the days of the Mulungushi Club that brought United Independent Party (UNIP), CCM and UPC in a greater solidarity and fraternal relationship,” he expressed.

Stories Continues after ad

Makerere University has today launched the Emmanuel Mutebile Chair and the Mutebile Centre of Excellence.

An alumnus of Makerere, Prof Mutebile, who is the Governor of Bank of Uganda, has played an important role in development in Uganda during his over 30 year public service record.

And speaking at the launch held at the university, Prof Mutebile said he was happy with the achievements of the government, Makerere University and Makerere University Private Sector Forum, over the years.

He reiterated that the Central Bank will soon reconstitute the Financial Development Committee to enhance financial sector development by harnessing the power of public –private partnerships.

“One way to stimulate financial sector development is to bring together the key financial sector players so as to identify the gaps, propose, and implement the requisite interventions in a systematic manner,” he said, adding that the committee will comprise of representatives from the financial sector and the government.

The Governor noted that Uganda had consistently been recording some of the best economic growth rates in East and Central Africa.

Prof Mutebile also hailed the Makerere University Private Sector Forum, saying the Forum now has new high profile persons who will be announced soon, determined to give the Forum renewed support.

“I must state that government has shown new willingness to become a full partner in all the Forum’s endeavours,” Mutebile said adding: “the presence of His Excellency on this launch speaks a lot for itself.”

The Mutebile Chair and Mutebile Centre of Excellence is the brainchild of the Makerere Private Sector Forum, and the launch today recognized and celebrated the achievements that Makerere University and the government have registered over the last 45 years.

“To me it is a new challenge and opportunity to rededicate myself to serve Makerere University and the country,” Prof Mutebile said.

An accomplished Economist and Scholar, Prof Mutebile has severally been recognized, with one of his notable awards being the African Central Bank Governor for several years since 2011.

Stories Continues after ad

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) deputy spokesperson has said that the ongoing parliamentary and LCV party primaries have registered a success rate of about 80 percent.

Addressing journalists today in Kampala, Ofwono Opondo contended that although the exercise ‘has faced some glitches’, it is still a success since elections in most districts is running smoothly.

“It’s going to be 70-80 percent successful, we count ourselves successful,” Ofwono Opondo said at the party headquarters on Kyadondo Road.

He added that of the 112 districts in Uganda, only 5 had so far proved problematic, with the challenges mostly logistical problems and violence related issues.

He however warned those planning to cause violence in the elections, saying the party was working alongside police to ensure the exercise is smooth.

“The NRM and police are working together; police has deployed countrywide to suppress any acts of violence in the elections and we believe police will take strong action (against errant members). We believe police can call sister agencies to ensure that law and order is maintained,” Ofwono Opondo, who also doubles as the Media Centre boss, said.

He also confessed that the party had received complaints where candidates’ names were misspelt, while some protested against having the wrong portrait photos attached to their names. Of those affected was Busiki County Member of Parliament Wilson Asuspasa Isiko Mpongo, who refused to vote after his name was misspelt on the ballot paper.

“The NRM EC agreed with the candidates that if their names are misspelt, they can accept and continue the voting or cancel,” Opondo said, adding: “Some candidates became stubborn and refused and the NRM EC agreed that the election dates be deferred to tomorrow.”  Further, Ofwono Opondo disclosed that elections in Wakiso district were stopped after the incumbent district Woman Member of Parliament Rose Seninde complained that the ballot paper showed she had an opponent yet she was declared unopposed.

Ofwono Opondo also acknowledged that wrong ballot boxes were delivered to some districts, and that the NRM EC was making arrangements to send the right logistics to the affected areas.

“Some wrong ballot papers were delivered in Katakwi yet they were destined for Amuria; we are making arrangements to transport the ballot papers and the elections will be held tomorrow,” Opondo said.

The NRM spokesperson further said that party supporters in Nyabushozi County of Kiruhuura district and those in Mbale Municipality will not hold elections, following the death of the respective nominated candidates.

Internal party laws call for fresh nominations after one of the candidates dies before elections commence, he said but did not communicate the date on when the primaries in the two areas will be held.

Early this month Mbale Municipality contestant, former State Minister for Trade and Industry James Mutende Shinyabulo passed on after being nominated, while Nyabushozi MP hopeful Micheal Nyamunguri Kanarura died in a road accident last week.

Meanwhile,  elections in Ssembabule, Buyende,  Kanungu, Ntungamo and Mbarara, among several other areas, have been stopped following outbreak of violence.

Other areas that have witnessed skirmishes include Kamuli, Makerere Zone 3 in Kawempe and Iganga.

In a related development, the Woman MP aspirant for Lwengo Sarah Nkonge and Bukoto Midwest MP Isaac Ssejjoba were allegedly found breaching the electoral law.

Stories Continues after ad

Embattled opposition coalition, The Democratic Alliance is yet to drop the idea to field a single candidate to take on incumbent Yoweri Museveni in next year’s presidential elections.

Addressing journalists early today, the Democratic Party president Mr. Norbert Mao, who spoke on behalf of the Alliance, said that different meetings are being held by stakeholders to ensure the TDA emerges victorious in the polls.

“We have not yet given up on choosing a joint presidential candidate for the opposition as TDA,” Mr. Mao reiterated, adding that there ‘was light at the end of the tunnel.’

In one of the said meetings, various opposition gurus including former premier Amama Mbabazi, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Col Dr Warren Kizza Besigye and ‘former’ Uganda Peoples Congress president Ambassador Olara Ottunnu earlier this month met with Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga to seek advice and chart a way forward.

However, while addressing Ugandans during the Independence Day celebrations in Gulu, the Kenyan Vice President William Ruto took a swipe at the Ugandan opposition, saying the meetings will not yield fruit since the Ugandans consulted the ‘losers’ in Kenya.

But Mao scoffed at Ruto’s words, insisting the meeting in Kenya was a success and that Raila Odinga had advised the Ugandan opposition to take time in reaching a consensus on the joint presidential candidate.

“This is the direction which the coalition is taking,” Mr Mao said, before questioning Mr Ruto’s moral authority to make such comments.

“Those comments were uncalled for from His Excellency William Ruto, but when we get to power, we shall forgive him,” Mao added.

Meanwhile, earlier this week Dr Besigye and Mr Mbabazi held another meeting in London in preparation for the general elections.

According to Mao, the London meeting was chaired by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, in the presence of former Uganda People’s Congress party leader Ambassador Olara Otunnu.

And Mao said Mr Annan was the right choice because of the reputation of his Kofi Annan Foundation that played a big role in solving the conflicts between Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga.

However, insider details of this meeting have not been announced, with both Mbabazi and Dr Besigye saying they will brief their ‘respective political structures’.

“We shall get a full briefing about this meeting on Thursday when the TDA summit sits for a meeting as we look to scan the political horizon,” Mr. Mao said.

The Democratic Alliance is an opposition coalition that was formed by various opposition political parties in a bid to end the 29 year reign of President Museveni and his NRM government.

However, to date efforts to front a single opposition candidate against Museveni is still a mirage, with the two favourite contenders, Amama Mbabazi and Kizza Besigye failing to personally agree on who should be the TDA flag bearer.

Stories Continues after ad

More than 90% of voters in Congo-Brazzaville’s controversial referendum have approved constitutional changes to allow President Denis Sassou Nguesso to run for a third term, results show.

Under the current constitution, the president has been unable to seek re-election because he is over the age of 70 and has already served two terms.

The opposition say turnout was low and the vote should be annulled.

However, official results put the turnout in Sunday’s referendum at 72%.

More than 1.2 million people voted in favour of the change, while nearly 102,000 rejected it, the electoral commission said.

     Africa Live: BBC news updates

The opposition called for a boycott of the poll and one of its leaders described the official results as a “fraud”.

“From what we could see on the day of the vote, the announcement that turnout was more than 72% is extremely scandalous,” Clement Mierassa told the AFP news agency.

President Sassou Nguesso, 71, is one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers, first coming to power in 1979 and ruling until 1992 when he lost elections. He returned as president in 1997 after a brief civil war and has since won two elections.

He is now coming to the end of his second seven-year term.

Tens of thousands of people took part in a peaceful demonstration against the referendum in September.

Four people died last week, when security forces dispersed angry protesters in the capital, Brazzaville, and the economic hub of Pointe-Noire.

The election is due to take place in 2016.

Africa’s longest-serving leaders:

36 years: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – Equatorial Guinea, took power in a coup in August 1979

36 years: Jose Eduardo dos Santos – Angola, took over after death of the country’s first president in September 1979

35 years: Robert Mugabe – Zimbabwe, won the country’s independence elections in April 1980

32 years: Paul Biya – Cameroon, took over after resignation of the country’s first president in November 1982

31 years: Denis Sassou Nguesso – Congo, installed by the military in October 1979, out of power from August 1992-October 1997

29 years: Yoweri Museveni – Uganda, became president after his rebel group took power in January 1986

Stories Continues after ad